Prisoner hangs self in Dhubri

Dhubri, Dec. 17: Khargeswar Barman, 30, a murder accused undergoing trial in Dhubri district jail, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the roof of his cell in the wee hours today.

Jail sources said Barman, who had been in Dhubri jail since September 13 this year, was an undertrial prisoner accused in his wifeís murder on September 11.

Jail inmates and jail guards on duty last night, however, did not see any symptom of depression or any abnormality in Barmanís behaviour. Rather, he was as usual and had enjoyed watching TV in the ward 7.

ďAround 3am, a guard spotted him hanging and the Dhubri deputy commissioner was informed about the incident. The magistrate arrived and the body was brought down and sent for post-mortem today,Ē a jail source said.

Jail superintendent Bhupen Chandra Das said an FIR has been lodged in Dhubri police station and an investigation was on.

However, the management of Dhubri district jail is being accused of mismanagement and dereliction of duty.

Replying to a question on mismanagement inside the jail, Das refuted the allegation but admitted the shortage of guards as a problem.

Das, however, assured strict management and round-the-clock vigilance inside the wards to avert such incidents in the future.

After post-mortem, the body was handed over to Barmanís family today.

On November 25, a constable in Dhubri jail, Rituparna Chakraborty, and a prisoner were injured when another prisoner, Manebendra Kumar Barua, allegedly attacked them with a knife during roll call.